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Sunday, December 13, 2009

simple gifts: milk carton cookie houses

Every year I spend a December day baking an assortment of cookies and bars for gift giving. Packaging them up is always the most challenging part. This year I came up with a solution from my recycling bin. I had wanted to whisper my idea to you all week, but wasn''t sure if I could pull off these cookie house as nicely in reality as they were in my head. Turns out they're super easy to make! You've got to try these... no excuses not to! Everything you need is right in your house. Milk cartons work so well for cookie transport because they're sturdy and grease proof. I originally was going to make some little baskets by just cutting off the tops and punching holes for handles, but the natural shape of each carton screams house, and then last week I saw these. I had no choice... houses it was. Covering them with brown Kraft paper transforms them into gingerbread houses waiting to be frosted- with white acrylic paint. Great project to set out for children. Cover a bunch of carton houses and set out some paints for them to add windows, doors, etc.

So here's how to make your own. The first one will take a little longer as you figure it out, but the following ones will fly together in no time.

Make:1. Open carton.2. Cut all four sides down to the folds and remove.3. Snip directly down all four corners and fold two opposite sides together to form a roof.4. Place the carton on a flat surface and hold the roof pieces together to form the template for cutting the A-framed sides. Trace the triangle with a pencil and cut.

It should look like this:

Once you've made this shape, you'll see that you can adjust them to any height you desire. If you choose to adorn them in paper proceed to the next step.

5. Place your carton corner on the corner of your paper. Trace the shape of the carton as you carefully roll it over for all four sides. Add an inch in height to all of the flat edges to ensure extra for folding over. See below.

It should look like this:

6. Cut out paper and adhere with glue or paste. I ended up using a combination. Fold over flat top edges and secure with clothespins until dry.

7. When dry, paint and decorate. Whether you make gingerbread houses or keep it a simple carton... you'll need a handle. Punch holes into the A-frame and tie on a ribbon.

8. Fill with cookies! You can make little wax bags to separate the cookies by folding over a length of wax paper and zigzaging the sides shut with peppermint thread (red thread and a white bobbin). Seal each house's roof with a little label or sticker. Have fun!

41 comments:

Oh So SWEET!!! We go through SO much milk, it would really be fun to make some of these from the cartons. I'd be quite happy sitting them along the mantle like a little gingerbread village. You could also, I guess, stick beads and things to replicate candy on it...fun. I'm set to do the Christmas craft for my daughter's class-I wish I'd seen this before I bought all the other supplies!!!

JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!!! have made special mini mince pies and wanted to share with a very good neighbour, but did just want to hand them over on a plate...i guess you could easily just cover the 'houses' with some nice wrapping paper and embelish.thankyou thankyou thankyoubecky xox

Brilliant! I never would have thought to make houses for cookies, but I do use them to make trays when I am sprouting seeded. I turn them on their sides, cut about a 1/3 off the whole carton (what would be the side if it was upright). Then punch holes in the bottom and line up toilet paper rolls cut in half. Once you have your "boat" prepared you just fill it with seed starting soil and put the seeds in the tp rolls. When they are ready to transplant the tp roll comes out, the milk carton boat goes away. Frugal and smart, but not as smart as you....keep it coming!!

so clever!!not going to get to this one this year, i don't think but i'm putting it on the backburner until next year.although variations on this would be fun any time of year."peppermint thread": i thought for a second you were using flavored tooth floss!

Hi Maya, Thanks for another inspirational make - I'm still in love with the Easter baskets you made! Our recycling centre takes milk cartons so that's where mine usually go but I'm definitely holding some back for this project. Need to make more time though as I'm busy covering and decorating wash tab boxes with recycled brown paper for seed storage!

I just love this idea! Beautiful but also practical. I heard your interview on Craftsanity and that brought me to your blog. Glad I found you. I like Georgia's idea of adding beads and I wonder if you used Elmer's glue (or something similar)instead of paint, if you could get a dimensional quality like icing. I'm off to try! Thanks for the inspiration.